BLM Setup

BLM Workstations
Video-BLM Systems -- Video-Setup for Horizontal BLM -- Video fluorescence BLM System.

Researchers interested in works with planar phospholipid bilayers (BLM) facing a difficult task of assembling an experimental setup from many pieces of electronic, mechanical and optical equipment. Eastern Scientific is offering a line of products that can be integrated into complete system for BLM experiments. Your can get everything you need for less than $2000^#

Our latest BVS-1130SA is not just another BLM rig but the complete system that includes everything necessary for starting experiments in shortest possible time. It is based on our bestselling BVS-130 compact design but includes a video monitor and battery powered magnetic stirrer. It is also integrated with a revolutionary anti-vibration system. The latter two improvements make BVS-1130SA the best choice for low-noise recordings: electrical interference is minimized by the absence of wires (except for a headstage) that enter Faraday cage and suspended in air platform provide an excellent vibration-insulation. When you need a stable base to prepare system for an experiment, simply turn two handles and Faraday cage will rest on a solid support. And a little extra bonus: video monitor also has a pair of speakers for streaming music from any source using Bluetooth, 3.5 mm or RCA connections.

BVS-1130SA includes the following components:
1. 8"x12"x6" aluminum Faraday cage covered with black polymer film inside and golden outside.

2. Anti-vibration system
3. Video microscope with 4X, 0.1 NA achromatic lens, B/W camera and video monitor.
3. Illumination system consisting of a LED light source and mounting hardware.
4. Mounting hardware for HS-2 amplifier headstage or for two EAG electrodes (in case you plan to use a different amplifier).
5. BLM cell positioner with holder for BC-31cell.

6. BC-31cell

7. TPS-5 set of 5 Teflon partitions

8. Magnetic stirrer with solid state motor (Four AA batteries included).

9. Mounting hardware and two 3 ml syringes (with tubing; used for making Montal-Mueller, "solvent free" membranes).

10. GMP-5 micropipette (for making Mueller-Rudin membranes).

11. Two EAG-02 silver wire electrodes.

12. SB-1 Electrode storage container.

13. Objective protective cover

14. Mini wrench (for adjusting the base plate level)

PS Similar system based on larger, BVS-138 Faraday cage (H-28 x W-28 x L-38 cm or 11" x 11" x 15") is also available. For those who have and plan to use a standard air table we offer BVS-1130A / BVS-1138A rigs that is identical to BVS-1130/38SA but do not include anti vibration components and cost less.

Photos below illustrate vibration suppression achieved with BVS-1130SA anti-vibration system. A jar with ~900 ml of water was placed atop of the aluminum base plate and a small amount of red toner spread on the surface for better visibility. Vibration was induced by a motor attached to the supporting plastic base. Both images were taken with vibration motor turned on but in the left image aluminum base rest on a solid support and in the right image it is hanging on eight elastic strings. A comparison of measured values of BVS-1130A anti-vibration parameters to air filled VIS-4/4S also demonstrate superiority of the new system over the old one. A short video of this test is here: https://www.facebook.com/EastSci .

Parameter	VIS-4, VIS-4S	BVS-1130A
Compression module, vertical (mm/N)	0.15+/-0.03 (0.6+/-0.07 for "S")	0.7 +/- 0.06
Compression module, horizontal (mm/N)	1 +/- 0.1	11+/-1.5

Video-Setup for Vertical BLM

Our basic setup for video microscopy of BLMs includes the following components:
1. Metal Enclosure (FC-38A or FC-38C Faraday Cage), H-28 x W-28 x L-38 cm (11" x 11" x 15") is assembled from aluminum (A) or Composite (C - aluminum foil over expanded plastic) panels and mounted on a solid aluminum base plate. Two doors can be widely open closed for maximum screening of electromagnetic interference. This enclosure can be used for a variety of electrophysiological application other than BLM. If you plan to add a lot of your own components to the system, we recommend upgrade with optional Bench Plate that has a number of treaded holes on a square pattern (Metric or English). These bases ensure great flexibility for installing additional components.
2. Mounting hardware for amplifier headstage.
3. Mounting hardware for two syringes. Syringes are used for injecting solution in BLM cell as required for making "solvent free" membranes.
4. Video microscope which include video camera* and 4X, 0.1 NA achromatic lens with at least 12 mm working distance. Overall magnification depends on the size of a video monitor and is about 250X for 12" monitor screen. Higher magnification/resolution can be easily achieved with more powerful lenses. Camera system is mounted on a linear positioner with 15+ mm travel along X axis.
5. Illumination system consisting of a LED based light source and mounting hardware.
6. BLM cell positioner. Equipped with cell holder for either BC-20 or BC-30 BLM cells. Has 15+ mm travel along Y axis, and 10+ mm along Z axis.
7. Power supply for video camera and light source.
PART NUMBER: BVS-138XY (XY stands for: X- enclosure material, Y - type of video camera. When ordering, please substitute X with A for aluminum or C for composite; Y with B for B/W analog video or U for USB color computer camera*. Those are standard options. If you need something special like higher resolution camera or enclosure with extra thermal insulation please contact us for a quote).

Image above left show an example of BLM rig (with enclosure removed) containing the following components: 1. 30x40 cm base plate with M4 holes on 30 mm square pattern; 2. XZ positioner* with BC-20A chamber in the chamber holder; 3. Y- videoscope positioner with USB camera and 4X lens; 4. Mounting hardware with HS-1 headstage and EAG-01 electrodes; 5. Mounting hardware with two 3 cc syringes; 6. LED light source with battery-powered intensity regulator (normally mounted on a side wall). A compact version of this rig is also available (shown above right, composite enclosure). Includes same component as standard one but placed inside 6" high enclosure mounted on 8"x12" base (15x20x30 cm). Despite small size this system is almost as convenient as larger one. If space is limited BVS-130XY is a solution.

* - Coarse positioners shown here are standard and sufficient for use with low magnification lenses. Higher magnification will benefit from optical grade translation stages but price will increase significantly.

Video-Setup for Horizontal BLM

For those who work with horizontal BLMs we have designed video microscopy system that is significantly more convenient than rigs build around a regular inverted microscope. It includes the following components:
1. Faraday Cage (FC-30C with BP-2030 base plate).
2. Inverted video microscope which include video camera* and 4X, 0.1 NA achromatic lens. Overall magnification depends on the size of a video monitor and is about 250X for 12" monitor screen. Higher magnification/resolution can be achieved with more powerful objective lenses.
3. Illumination system consisting of a LED light source and mounting hardware.
4. Mounting hardware for amplifier headstage.
5. Holder for BCH-1A cell with mounting hardware that allow +/- 3 mm X-Y and +/-5 mm Z axis (height) adjustment.
6. Two electrode holders.
7. Power supply for video camera and light source.
PART NUMBER: BVH-130XY

Video fluorescence BLM System.

FVS-160 optical system shown here (with enclosure removed) is designed for most advanced studies on planar lipid bilayers (BLM). Left side of the photograph above is similar to introduced earlier BVS typr video BLM system, and used for membrane observation in transmitted light. Right side is a custom made fluorescent microscope. This system allows combined electrical and high resolution optical measurements of membrane parameters. Like other BLM setups, it is assembled on a solid aluminum base plate providing great flexibility and easiness in installing additional components. Setup includes:
1. Beamsplitter system with precision stage mechanism for high power objective lens (Fig.1).

Fig.1

2. Arc lamp housing and mounting hardware.
3. Linear low interference arc lamp power supply. (PS-100B)
4. Aluminum enclosure (Faraday cage).
5. 12"x24" (or 12"x30") base plate with treaded (1/4-20 tpi) holes.
6. Four rubber foam or sorbotane anti vibration legs.
7. Video-camera mounting hardware.

Other components are almost identical to used in BVS-1XX rig and include:
1. Mounting hardware for amplifier headstage.
2. Mounting hardware for two syringes.
3. Video microscope (Fig. 2) which include video camera* and 4X, 0.1 NA, 14 mm w.d. achromatic lens. Overall magnification depends on the size of a video monitor (not included) and is about 250X for 12" monitor screen. Higher magnification/resolution can be easily achieved with more powerful lenses. Camera system is mounted on a linear positioner with 15+ mm travel along X axis.**

Fig.2 4. Power supply for CCD video camera.
5. BLM cell positioner (Fig.3). Equipped with cell holder for 20 mm wide BLM cells. Allows cell to be moved 15+ mm along Y axis, and 10+ mm along Z axis.

Fig.3 We also offering a simplified and less expensive version of this setup, FVS-138XY, FVS-138XY . In this modification, video microscope shown in Fig. 2, is replaced with LED based light source. It allows to use one optical system for both bright field membrane observation, and for fluorescent microscopy. In most cases the only inconvenience of this configuration is the absence of low magnification of BLM imaging during BLM formation.

Some components required for these setups need to be purchased separately:
1. 25 mm diameter excitation and emission filters.
2. 20x28 dichroic beamsplittter.
3. High power objective lens.
4. HBO-100 arc lamp*.
5. Intensified CCD camera.
* If you will be using 100W mercury arc lamp. Other lamps may require housing modifications and power supply from other source.
PART NUMBER: FVS-160XY or FVS-138XY

* - Two standard camera options are available (Same price): 1. 1/3" CCD size format (510x492 pixel sensor), monochrome (RS-170 video format) TV camera with 0.1 Lux sensitivty. 2. 1.3 MP (1280 x 960 pixel sensor) or better Windows compatible color USB camera. With option 1 you will need a video monitor that can be either professional B/W monitor or any TV set that have a video input. Option 2 require a computer with USB port available. In terms of image quality, the difference is minimal. However, if you plan to do something more than just observing BLM formation, please make a note that B/W camera is faster and more light sensitive than color one.

# - Basic configuration: BVS-130C rig, BLM Cell, Amplifier, Electrodes. Some assembly required. Recording device (Computer interface, stirrer, etc) not included. If magnetic stirrer is required we recommend MS-21 model with RH-12M or RH-25 RSSM.

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Due to small volume production and continuous improvements, images here may be a bit different from currently available products.

BLMrigs.html Date of latest modification: 12-04-2024